Salt mine staff tackle 'worst freeze in 20 years'

Staff at the UK's biggest rock salt mine have described Britain's big freeze as "the worst continuous spell of severe weather in 20 years".

As parts of the country battled against the snow, staff at Cheshire's Winsford salt mine pledged to work round the clock to help keep roads open and motorists safe.

The mine is capable of extracting 30,000 tonnes of rock salt per week and has nearly 140 miles of underground roads.

A statement from Winsford Salt Union, which runs the mine, said: "With further severe weather forecast across the UK in the week ahead, Salt Union's Winsford mine in Cheshire is working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to play its part in keeping the nation's roads open and as safe as is possible.

"Its main challenge through the current difficult period is to ensure that priority is given to customers whose stocks are at low levels and it is liaising closely with government agencies in this respect.

"Salt Union completed its pre-winter deliveries to customers in early November but the worst continuous spell of severe weather for 20 years has led to massive additional demand."